Aislinn Molloy
Peter and I love helping people think about their work through a faith lens. We have a vision for workers discovering that God cares deeply about their work—leading to transformed inner lives and a life that testifies to Christ.
One way we do this is through a graduates group in Christchurch, which we lead alongside Eric Baugh.
At the beginning of this year, Peter and I wrote and led a four-part study series on work. Below is a summary of some of the key themes and Bible verses we explored—offered here for your own reflection:
1. What does God have to say about work?
To begin, we explored just how much Scripture has to say on the topic of work—looking from Genesis all the way to Revelation. Some verses reflect on the nature of work, others show God meeting people in the midst of their working lives, and still others speak to how we are to conduct ourselves in our jobs.
Our graduates came away with a fresh sense that God has a deep and personal interest in our working lives!
Ecclesiastes 3:9–13
9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. 12 I know that there is nothing better for people than to be happy and to do good while they live. 13 That each of them may eat and drink and find satisfaction in all their toil—this is the gift of God.
2. Frustrated Work
Scripture teaches us that the frustrations of work are more than just “bad days”—they are part of the reality of working in a fallen, sinful world.
Because the brokenness of work has a spiritual cause, a spiritual remedy is needed: we as workers—along with our thoughts, attitudes, hearts, and motivations—need to be reconciled to God.
Genesis 3:17
Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat food from it all the days of your life.
3. The Role of Rest
The more we learn about work, the more we come to appreciate the gift of rest that God gives. While He has given us meaningful work to do, He also invites us to stop and rest.
This helps protect us from making work an idol. It reminds us that God is in control, and that the world won’t fall apart if we pause.
Psalm 127:1–2
1 Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labour in vain.
Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.
2 In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat—
for he grants sleep to those he loves.
4. Working for God
In our final study, we unpacked the reality that we work first and foremost for God—not just for our earthly bosses.
We looked at real-life scenarios in light of this truth:
– How should we respond to an unfair or disappointing pay offer?
– How should we work when no one is watching?
Working for God changes everything.
Colossians 3:23–24
23 Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,
24 since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.
We are continually amazed at how much God cares about our work, and how deeply He desires to transform our everyday working lives.
That is truly good news in a world that is increasingly disillusioned and disappointed by the realities of work.